Local Influencers Paid to Promote Vaccine
The Claim
Local influencers are being paid to promote the COVID vaccine.
News posted on
Emerging story
Some on social media are claiming that small social media influencers are being paid to promote COVID-19 vaccines to their fans.
Misbar’s Analysis
We discovered the claim stems from a New York Times article published on August 1, 2021 that reported the White House has recruited more than 50 Twitch streamers, YouTubers, and TikTokers to encourage their audience to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
According to Forbes.com, along with the White House, some states and local municipalities are paying “local micro influencers” up to $1000 a month to spread the word about the vaccine. For example, in California, the Knight Foundation and XOMAD have partnered with the City of San Jose to launch a pilot campaign that recruits residents to influence other residents in hard to reach communities to promote the vaccine.
This is not the first time local influencers have been used to promote vaccines. Several years ago, influencers were asked to choose from vetted messages and create their own original content promoting flu vaccination, which was posted to their social media pages.
Not everyone is excited about the idea. Some on social media are questioning the government’s decision to use funds for this purpose.
